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HAM Radio question


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2021 Aug 22, 4:31pm   816 views  15 comments

by FortWayneAsNancyPelosiHaircut   ➕follow (2)   💰tip   ignore  

Hi guys,

Anyone here is licensed knows a few things about radios? I'm in a process of getting licensed, have a few radios but their range isn't very good. Was wondering if anyone knows of any hand helds that actually go several miles out in a city. I have a few hams, but they don't even go a mile in a suburb.

Thanks guys

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1   Patrick   2021 Aug 22, 5:05pm  

I don't know much about it, but I think ham radio is an excellent idea for getting the power to go around globalist censorship in the event that they take down the internet.

Hell, I'm going to make a note to get a ham radio license myself.
2   AmericanKulak   2021 Aug 22, 5:53pm  

FortWayneAsNancyPelosiHaircut says
any hand helds that actually go several miles out in a city


This one is recommended by a long time HAM operator. He says you will be razzed by HAM snobs for getting one, but it's mostly about the antennae more than anything else. It's a great way to get started with HAM and its portable and has several other features and only about $50:

BaoFeng UV-5R

I was also told a Whip Antennae is your next buy, about $20.

There is a deal for 2 up to 4 for under $200 for buddies/gifts/backup:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WLY48DK/

I think the F8HP is the newer model of the UV-5R with a little extra power, better battery, and slightly better antennae.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MAULSOK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&m=AA3MGRC7F9EI2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00MAULSOK&linkCode=as2&tag=btek-20

You don't need a HAM license to listen and habituate yourself.
3   SumatraBosch   2021 Aug 22, 6:30pm  

Pay for expert placement and instantiation of the antenna and, for the test, actually practice morse code, if it's still required.
4   AmericanKulak   2021 Aug 22, 6:39pm  

Good video on the Baofeng as an intro into HAM.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MbUXD4ECms

I intend to pick one of these up shortly and see how it works.
5   GNL   2021 Aug 22, 6:48pm  

MisdemeanorRebellionNoCoupForYou says
You don't need a HAM license to listen and habituate yourself.

Can your location be pinpointed?
6   joshuatrio   2021 Aug 22, 8:02pm  

WineHorror1 says
MisdemeanorRebellionNoCoupForYou says
You don't need a HAM license to listen and habituate yourself.

Can your location be pinpointed?


That's what I was wondering..
7   GNL   2021 Aug 22, 8:10pm  

Do you have to show an ID to purchase Ham Radio equipment?
8   SumatraBosch   2021 Aug 22, 8:19pm  

joshuatrio says
WineHorror1 says
MisdemeanorRebellionNoCoupForYou says
You don't need a HAM license to listen and habituate yourself.

Can your location be pinpointed?


That's what I was wondering..


Christ, your call letters are associated with your license.

HAM radio is not for anonymously shouting KILL THE LIBBIES to strangers in Slovenia.
9   GNL   2021 Aug 22, 8:32pm  

SumatraBosch says
joshuatrio says
WineHorror1 says
MisdemeanorRebellionNoCoupForYou says
You don't need a HAM license to listen and habituate yourself.

Can your location be pinpointed?


That's what I was wondering..


Christ, your call letters are associated with your license.

HAM radio is not for anonymously shouting KILL THE LIBBIES to strangers in Slovenia.

What good is it for then?
10   RC2006   2021 Aug 22, 8:48pm  

I never got my license but when I was a teen I did have a pirate radio station powered by a 500w amplifier and moved between using 60' antenna and a bicycle with a 200w amp and a 6' antenna.

I second the baofeng, get your license join ham club most have a repeater on nearby mountain that you can use.

WineHorror1 says
Do you have to show an ID to purchase Ham Radio equipment?


Nope

WineHorror1 says
MisdemeanorRebellionNoCoupForYou says
You don't need a HAM license to listen and habituate yourself.

Can your location be pinpointed?


Technically yes but they would have to be close. So not something you really need to worry about.
11   Patrick   2021 Aug 22, 10:34pm  

SumatraBosch says
Christ, your call letters are associated with your license.


I think you missed the spirit of the thing.

The point here is to have ways to communicate when Fauci Fascism shuts off other means.

No one is going to be announcing their government-issued call letters at that point.
12   FortWayneAsNancyPelosiHaircut   2021 Aug 23, 8:57am  

WineHorror1 says
Can your location be pinpointed?


It can be done, but not easily. there would need to be equipment that does that since you can tell direction, multiple things from different spots can zero in on the location intersection. i don't know how much of it is out there. however, I've heard of people getting tracked down for stupidly broadcasting for a long time on emergency channels. Short messages are unlikely to be tracked down unless you are sending out your credentials or are moving around.

There are plenty of non emergency channels you can broadcast on though, no one listens to those, emergency frequencies for fire/police are few. rest are public.
13   richwicks   2021 Aug 23, 10:21am  

FortWayneAsNancyPelosiHaircut says
It can be done, but not easily. there would need to be equipment that does that since you can tell direction, multiple things from different spots can zero in on the location intersection.


Should be pretty easy actually.

The way GPS works is by triangulation. The location of the satellites are known, and because the GPS clock is now so exact, you can calculate how far the satellite is away, and know its precise orbit.

You'd just need 3 receivers today. If somebody wanted to find you, they could find you within 10 feet and without fancy equipment.
14   FortWayneAsNancyPelosiHaircut   2021 Aug 23, 10:47am  

richwicks says
FortWayneAsNancyPelosiHaircut says
It can be done, but not easily. there would need to be equipment that does that since you can tell direction, multiple things from different spots can zero in on the location intersection.


Should be pretty easy actually.

The way GPS works is by triangulation. The location of the satellites are known, and because the GPS clock is now so exact, you can calculate how far the satellite is away, and know its precise orbit.

You'd just need 3 receivers today. If somebody wanted to find you, they could find you within 10 feet and without fancy equipment.


I just don't think that equipment is anywhere out there. Cell towers are there, so cell phones are easily constantly tracked. But radios are not tracked yet. All I'm saying is that it would take effort, it's not automatically available.
15   rigidmember   2021 Aug 23, 11:40am  

Got my Technician license a few years ago. I can operate 2m and 70cm bands generally small handhelds and mobile units in your truck. I used this site to study (https://hamstudy.org/) and then setup to take the test here (http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session) . Generally the practice test questions are exactly like the test. There's a fee for the exam and then the license through the FCC, not crazy expensive. You're assigned a call sign from the FCC and your license is searchable through call sign here (https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchLicense.jsp) If you don't have a license you can listen but can't talk as you're supposed to use your call sign when conversing.

I started with a 5w handheld Yaesu FT-60 and realized I couldn't really reach too far as I live in a small valley. Trees, buildings etc effect the range so if you're on a mountain peak with a 5w handheld you can probably get miles of range. I then bought a used Yaesu FT7900 (from here https://qrznow.com/ham-radio-classifieds/) which has 50w power, bought a power supply at the Pacificon swap (http://www.pacificon.org/) and built myself a ground plane antenna (https://www.eham.net/article/7005) and at about 15' above ground I can hit repeaters just over 100 miles away. There are regional repeaters where you can contact people throughout the west (https://www.winsystem.org/) , local repeaters (https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/Display_SS.php?state_id=06&band=14&loc=%&call=%&use=%) and then echolink where you can contact people similar to VOIP using an app on your phone (https://secure.echolink.org/)

Some satellites carry repeaters and then they pass overhead you can call to them and get responses from other people able to make contact (https://www.amsat.org/two-way-satellites/). You can determine when the satellite will be in the best position to call to using (https://www.amsat.org/track/). I'm in the Bay Area and made contact with someone from Salt Lake City one time.

I started getting interested in Ham Radio as a SHTF prep thing so went all in for a bit. I used to get on pretty regularly doing weekly events but kind of slowed due to kids and having my setup in the garage. Lately I've been using it more as a scanner to listen to local fire department though. I really want to put my setup in my truck so I can talk when I'm out and about.

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